Handle bail adjustment



g. 31, 1937. w J CLEMENTS 2,091,806

A HANDLE BAIL. ADJUSTMENT Filed NOV. 15, 1935 Patented Aug. 3l, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OF F'lfCE HANDLE BAIL ADJUSTMENT of Illinois Application November 15, 1935, Serial No. 49,897

1 Claim.

My invention relates to a limit member for handle bail supports and is particularly adaptable ,for use with vacuum cleaners, although I do not wish its use to be so limited. One purpose isthe provision of means, at the selection of the operator, for locking the handle in generally upright position. Another purpose is the provision of means for permitting the handle to be oscillated through a predetermined arc for the normal operation of the cleaner, while preventing the handle from dropping into full horizontal position. Another purpose is the provision of means for permitting the depression of the handle to horizontal position, as when the user wishes to clean under beds or other articles of furniture having a low clearance. Another object is the provision of handle bail adjusting means of maximum simplicity and ease of operation. Other objects will appear from time to time in the course of the specification and claim.

I illustrate my invention more or less dia- ,grammatically in the accompanying drawing, wherein- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a. vacuum cleaner;

Figure 2 is an enlarged section taken on the line 2 2 of Figure 1, illustrating the handle in upright position and with parts omitted;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation illustrating the handle in upright and horizontal position;

Figure 4 is a section on the line 4--4 of Figure 3; and

Figure 5 is a plan View of the cam.

Like parts are indicated by like symbols throughout the specification and drawing.

I illustrate a vacuum cleaner having a motor casing I, a fan casing 2 and a suction inlet or nozzle 3. The details of the Vacuum cleaner, except as described below, form no part of the present invention. The inlet nozzle may be supported by adjacent wheels 4 and the rear of the device may be supported by any suitable wheel or wheels 5 mounted, for example, upon the rear end of the motor casing. 6 indicates any suitable handle having the bifurcation or forked b-ail 1. The arms of the bail are pivoted to the motor housing as at 8, by means of any suitable pivot members.

9 generally indicates a limit member for the handle bail. It is pivoted to the handle bail as at I Il. II indicates a generally arcuate slot with one fully arcuate side I2. At the bottom of the opposite side as at I3 is a locking notch. Intermediate the ends of the opposite side as at I 4 is a limit notch. Its face I5, as will later appear,

constitutes a limit surface or abutment. The

oppositeside ofthe notch as at I6, merges gradually with the arcuate portion of the slot. I8 is a stud or screw which may be secured to the housing and which is provided with a head This stud penetrates the slot II and the total 5 length of the slot, the ends of the slot being closed, limits the total arc of movement of the handle about its center. I9 is any suitable spring tending normally to rotate the limit member 9 in a clockwise direction, referring to the parts in the 10 position in which they are shown in Figure 3,

It is shown as being secured as at 20 to the handle bail and as at 2| to the member 9. Therefore, when the spring I9 exerts its thrust the member 9 is rotated in such direction that the stud I 8 15 moves into the notches I3 or I4, as the case may be, when the handle is rotated at the opposite ends of the normal arc of movement of the handle. 22 indicates an abutment projection from the member 9, with an offset 23, which can 20 be engaged by the foot of the operator, to resist the thrust of the spring I9, and to rotate the member 9 against the spring thrust. It will be noted that the arc of the side I 2 or of the slot II is substantially concentric with the axis of 25 rotation of the handle itself.

It will be realized that whereas I have described and shown a practical and operative device, nevertheless many changes may be made in the size, shape, number and disposition of parts 30 without departing from the spirit of my invention. I therefore wish my description and drawing to be taken as in a broad sense illustrative and diagrammatic rather than as limiting me to my specific showing. 35

The use and operation of my invention are as follows:

When the vacuum cleaner is not being used the operator merely raises the handle to vertical or generally vertical position and the spring I9, by 40 moving the member 9 counter-clockwise, engages the stud I8 in the locking notch I3. The handle is thus locked in Vertical position and can only be disengaged by a positive retrograde rotation of the member 9. When the user wishes to employ 45 a vacuum cleaner, he can very easily unlock the member 9 by thrusting down with his foot on the projection 23. This moves the member 9 in such fashion as to release the stud I8 from the locking notch I3 and the operator can then depress the 50 handle. When the operator does so there is a zone of free movement extending as far as the wall I 5 within the notch I4. Within this zone or arc the operator can freely swing the handle. 'Ihis permits ready operation of the cleaner. If 55 'the handle is so far depressed as to engage the stud i8 with the wall l5 of the notch I4, further downward rotation of the handle is prevented. This is useful, because the operator may wish to tilt the forward end or nozzle of the vacuum cleaner upwardly. In such case a continued downward thrust on the end of the handle tilts the vacuum cleaner about the rear supporting wheel 5 and lifts the forward end or suction nozzle 3 of the cleaner. This may be necessary for a variety of reasons, such as lifting the iront end of the cleaner over the edge of a very thick rug. If, however, the operator wishes to clean under a bed or wishes, for any reason, to tilt the handle into horizontal position, a downward thrust on the member 23 will free the stud i3 from the locking face l5 and permit it to ride to the upper end of the slot as at 25. Or rather, since the stud i8 is xed, the slot moves downwardly until the end 25 engages the stud I8 and the handle is in substantially horizontal position.

When in the claim I allude to a relative movement of the stud and the limit member it will be understood that I mean, of course, that the stud is Xed in position and that the limit member moves. As a matter of convenience, however, this movement may be described as an upward movement of the stud in relation to the limit member or limit slot.

I claim:

In a vacuum cleaner, a housing, a handle having a bifurcated end pivoted to said housing, a` stud mounted on said housing, a limit member pivoted to said handle, said limit member being provided with a closed ended slot through which said stud passes, a locking notch, at the lower end of said slot, adapted to receive said stud when the handle is in substantially upright position, a limit notch, intermediate the ends of said slot, and on the same side of the slot as said locking notch, adapted to limit relative movement of stud and limit member, the edge of said notch nearest the locking notch being beveled 01T, whereby said stud may move readily out of said limit notch in the direction of said locking notch, yielding means tending normally to rotate said limit member about its pivotal connection with the handle and adapted, when the stud is aligned with said notches, to move said stud into said notches, and abutment means, associated with said limit member, adapted, in response to a thrust directed thereagainst by the operator, to move the limit member against the thrust oi said yielding means.

l WILLIAM J. CLEMENTS. 

